Aside from their regular services, the study guidance counsellors will work together with selected pre-exam guidance student aids to offer additional support during the busy study period preceding exams. Students can stop by without an appointment and seek advice on practical issues related to exam planning, study skills and filling out exam forms but they can also ask questions on how to manage stress and performance anxiety. During that period there will be two pre-exam guidance staff members available to address student needs.
 
"We try to support the students as much as possible throughout the year, and we’ve noted that the period just before the exams is when support is particularly needed. Students can come to us with any questions related to the exams. Some questions may have to be referred to their faculty lecturers or teaching assistants", says learning path counsellor (LW) Ellen De Troyer.
 
Giving you the extra boost
 
The pre-exam guidance service will run alongside the normal functioning of the study guidance counselling. Students can therefore still proceed with making regular appointments with counsellors or sending an email with a question to begeleiding@vub.ac.be. Because often making the appointment is too big a step for many, the Study Guidance Centre will give students an extra boost of support during the last week of semester by being easily approachable and available to talk to.
 
“We have noted that the burden of making an appointment can often be a deterrent to students seeking help, therefore we have decided to do things slightly differently this year. Thanks to the pre-exam guidance service we can place the ball in the student’s court and therefore offer immediate help in addressing their questions regarding exams’’, says Ellen.
 
“We have chosen to provide the pre-exam guidance service in the last week before the study break. This is when students tend to do most of their planning and preparation for exams, and consult their schedules. Questions arise such as ‘’Is everything clear? Am I sufficiently prepared to take this exam?”, and so on. We have also noted that this is a period during which stress levels are at their highest and students are faced with the dilemma of how best to study for each subject”.
 
The pre-exam guidance service will take place in the last week before the exam study period. Students of the Etterbeek campus can stop by every afternoon between 12:00 and 14:00 at the Study Guidance Centre. Working students are welcome to come by on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 17:00 and 19:00.
 
In Jette, the pre-exam guidance service will take place on 21 December as a one full day activity. Working students will be able to use the service on Monday and Thursday between 16:15 and 17:15. Students can easily drop by the office of the study guidance counsellors located in the library.
 
Any other tips (extra study spaces for campus group study)?
 
Aside from the pre-exam guidance services the study guidance department is providing several additional study spaces intended for students studying in groups.
“During and prior to the exam period students can take advantage of the calm and convivial ambiance provided by these study spaces. The exact schedule can be consulted via MY.VUB. The centre will only close the week between Christmas and New Year”, emphasised Ellen De Troyer.
 
Another important tip once the exams are over: “Please do ensure to partake in the examination feedback organised by your faculty”.